PF Govt is dictatorial – Tayali

Mon, 10 Dec 2012 15:01:20 +0000

Monday, December 10 2012

President Michael Sata has proved to the Zambian people that his fight against corruption is just window dressing as the Patriotic Front (PF) government lacks respect for the rule of law, says Zambian voice executive director Chilufya Tayali.

Mr Tayali said the PF government has exhibited total lack of respect for government institutions which had been mandated to probe matters of corruption so as to create a serene atmosphere in the running of the country’s affairs.

He cited issues such the appointment of Director of Public Prosecution (DPP) Mutembo Nchito, the Mahtani nolle, and Kapoko’s acquittal, as examples of poor governance by the PF government

“President Sata has killed the crusade against corruption by his decision to trash efforts made by the ACC investigating his friends. He has shown us that the law on corruption was directed at everybody else except for him and his friends” Mr. Tayali said.

He explained that President Sata’s position against the ACC investigations on Justice Minister Wynter Kabimba was a clear indication of his lack of interest in the corruption fight, as was exposed in his silence over other matters affecting public interest.

Mr. Tayali said the President has failed to support the structures of government which sustained the crusade on corruption, by dictating their operations against their professional judgment.

“The ministers themselves brought out the corruption issues about each other, it was not the Zambian people, they accused themselves of stealing from the people and Mr. Sata has decided to guard them from investigations, is this law for everybody else except for the Mr. Sata and his clique?,” he said.

He questioned why the President was shielding the two ministers if they had nothing to hide.

Mr. Kabimba and Defence Minister Geoffrey B Mwamba were both summoned separately by the ACC on allegations of corrupt practices involving some government tender procedures.

“He is showing us that he is the President, the almighty.  He doesn’t recognize the ACC or the Judiciary or Civil Society: Mr. Sata is actually failing the Zambians who gave him the mandate to rule,” he said.

He advised President Sata to be mindful of the legal implications against accomplices which he said would affect his image in future.

“By law, if you shield a criminal, you become an accomplice, and President Sata wants to protect those implicated in corruption matters, what does it make of him?” he quizzed.

On Thursday President Sata directed the ACC to stop openly investigating his PF ministers.